Visitors select hats in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Ma Kai)
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday that lies about China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region concocted by some Western anti-China forces are "a complete farce to slander and smear China."
"Their attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs through Xinjiang-related issues will not succeed," spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a daily press briefing in response to a press query on two interviews given by the chairman of Pakistan's Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Mushahid Hussain Syed and UAE ambassador to China Ali Al Dhaheri.
Recently, senator Syed said in an interview that the economic growth of Xinjiang and the population growth of the Uygur community belie the fiction peddled by a few Western politicians. In another interview, ambassador Dhaheri spoke highly of Xinjiang's economic development and poverty alleviation achievements, praised Xinjiang's counter-terrorism and de-radicalization measures, and expressed his expectation to strengthen cooperation with China in these fields.
China appreciates Pakistan and the UAE for their objective and fair positions on Xinjiang-related issues, Wang said, adding that both chairman Syed and ambassador Dhaheri mentioned in the interviews their personal experiences visiting Xinjiang, which truthfully reflected the situation in Xinjiang.
Wang said more than 1,200 people from over 100 countries, including UN officials, foreign envoys to China, permanent representatives of some countries in Geneva, news reporters and people from religious organizations, have visited Xinjiang since 2018.
He said that those who visited Xinjiang have witnessed the stability and prosperity of the region and have praised Xinjiang's experience in counter-terrorism and de-radicalization, which is worth learning.
Wang said China welcomes more foreigners to visit Xinjiang and get a real understanding of Xinjiang's economic growth and people's peaceful and happy lives.
"I believe that more and more countries like Pakistan and the UAE will speak out for justice," he said.
